Impression control means in address printing machines



E. OSTWALDT Nov. 4, 1952 IMPRESSION CONTROL MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed 001'.. 25, 1949 5` Sheets-Sheet 1 SEE NOV. 4, 1952 E, QSTWALDT 2,616,363

IMPRESSION CONTROL MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 5 Slfxeecs-Sneefl 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1949 n am afmr E.' OSTWALDT Nov. 4, 1952 IMPRESSION CONTROL MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 25, 1949 3 Sheets-Sme?I 5- Ernk JTHALT 6 wg lnvenior.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES fiOl'fjF ICE 4^ IMPRESSION CONTROL MEANS IN ADDRESS YPRINTINGt-MACHINES :Erich Ostwaldt, .Berlin-Hermsdorf, Germany; as-

- signorfto Adrema Maschinenbau-..G..m. b.lH., Berlin, .Germany l-Application October 25; 1949;Seri`al Nol'123`,397

' In VSwitzerland June"y 24,y 1949 (C11. r101-f-5'7) 9 Claims.

y' This--inventionrelates to printing machines, `especially address printing machines, equipped with a conditioning mechanism for causing selec- .tively-one or -more impressions to be made from -aa printing plate fed into printing position. `In machines ofthis type the printingplates a-re ordinarily moved to the printing position in a step- Jby-step manner and an impression is made from theprinting. plate vduring an-at rest interval* in the'step-by-step movement. It has-already been vsuggested to providev a, printing machine -witha ldrum controlled inv accordance with the v working time of theprinting process, said Adrum being pro- "vded vWithcams or the like so thatfif desired,

the printing yplate brought into printingv posi- 'Y tion Lisv replacedby anotherone only after -each vsecond or third printing operation. This'device :has the disadvantage that the'` repetition, of ...the

printing operation cannot beinterrupted. Furthermore, printing machines are known, Ywherein a cam drumV actuated step-by-step returns .into its position of rest after each seriesof prints.

. Such .devices not only. work noisily but .also.are r`subjected to disturbances. owing to. the return shock. Y Accordingr to another-.known embodiment .acontrolling ratchet-disc is provided withpins which. may be rendered rinoperative vat will and may interrupt the feeding of the plates according to their position. ,This device has the'drawback that, when changinglthe device to another numberof impressions to be made, thek previous adjustment must'be rendered inoperative bya special operation.

AnobjectV of the invention is toprovide anap- `paratus which is simple with respect'to itsconlstruction as -well Yas `with respect to its operation and which permits any change of operation f Without additional manipulations.

'The invention relates to' a multiple printing ma- `chineprovided With a' controlling discffor'the "feeding ',or transporting tdevice of the printing vthe bigY teeth is provided by means of whichl the disc is brought into the pcsitioninitiating-a feeding,l only."- after fa, number". of; :intermediate :steps have been made by the small teeth.

Other -objects and structural details i of the inventionwillbe apparent from the following def'scriptionf-When'read1in conjunction with-the accompanying drawings forming -ficatiom wherein part of' this speci- Eg. 1 is .a frontfelevational view,-partly in section, of an address printingY machine according to the invention, the-adjusting device for setting the; numberv of impressions toV be made from a 101 printing plate'beingfin the position for causing repeatedimpressions from a printing plate;

Fig.. 2 'iss a ftopfplan view lof the vmachine-according to Eig.; 1;

j Fig.` 3 israfronti elevational viewA offthe'adjus ing device, 'innanfenlarged'scale partlyqinsecfr tion;` accordingf 'to' line III--III of` Fig. 4;

-.Fig. 4.is2a sectional view ofthe device shown siFig.- 51is'ia: sideVv elevational View of the device YshowninrFi-g.: 4; seen inthe 'direction of the arrowlVin'FigCi;

j'. Fig. 6 is-a'top'plan View ofy a part of the table of the machine;

rlig-'T isfa top plan'view' Vsimilar 'to Fig. 4, 'the adjusting device being adjusted for makinga 'single impression;

-Figtfyillustrates the corresponding position Vof v certainiparts of'thedevice'shown in Fig. 7,v seen inL the direction of the arrow VIII in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a topi plan vievvv similar to Fig. 4, the

f devicevbeingiadjusted for' making repeated `imc pressions from a printing plate;

z Fig. 10.A illustrates theK lcorresponding position 1 oidzertain'` parts 'of the device shown `in Fig. 9,

seen-in the direction of the` arrow X in Fig. 9;

rFig. llfisl a top -plan view similar to Fig. 4,

-during the rst shifting the-device being advjustedfor making threev successive impressions y -froina printingplate;

"Figf 12-'is 'al top plan View' similar .-torFig.. 11

-during the second shiftingY of `thedevice;

'-Fig.f 13 illustratesl the correspondingV position -of certainY parts ofthe device-shown in Fig. 12,

seen in theidirection of the arrow XIII -inFig. 12; zFigfli shows `someparts of ythe device shown infFignlyin a perspective view partly. in a sec- -tion,- and '-Fig. l^15 Aisz-a part of Fig. 1 showing the adjust- Yzingdevice in the position for makingasingle impression.

'.The address printing machine has -a table'or Lbed. 2-supp'orted vby rlegs I and provided with a v;stationaryprintingarmv 3, in the head 4 of which "thefplatenrt movesiup and down. Ay container capable of-.zreceivingri a pile.ofprinting:plates 6 arranged-marrant of the. base of thesprinting arm. The container is arranged above the right hand end (as viewed in Fig. 1) of a guiding track 8 embedded in the table. ing track extends below the platen 5 and terminates in an opening 9 through which the printing plates may fall into -a receiver I after impressions have been made.

Below the guiding track 8 a feeding apparatus capable of feeding the printing plates is provided. 'Ihis feeding apparatus consists of a slide bar II slidably arranged in the table for reciprocating movements in its longitudinal direction, said slide bar being provided with re-4 silient noses or pawls I2 capable of engaging printing plates for moving same step-by-step along the track 8. The slide bar I I has a downward extension IIa extending below the table and bearing a double-armed lever I3. The end I4 ofthis double-armed lever is provided with a recess vI5 adapted to be engaged -by la-pivot I5 of 'a slide block I'I slidable along a guiding rod I8 fastened below the table'. The slide block .is

The guidn connected with a crank 28 by means 4of a" link v I9, the crank being fastened on a shaft 22 journaled in the side `walls v2I of thev tablel I If the crank is rotated for one rotation the slide block is reciprocated once thereby-driving the slide bar IVI, provided, however, that the recess I5 of the double-armed lever I3 engages the pivot I6. By' this movement all printing plates lying on the Yguiding track 8 and gripped by the noses or pawls I2 are advanced one step. This step is large enough to replace the printing plate lying below thel platen 5by the following one. 1

On the shaft 22 an eccentric V23 is mounted around which a sliding ring 24 'of a crank rod 25 may rotate. The end of the crank` rod 25 engages a crank of a multiple printing mechanism by means of which a, predetermined number of impressions may be made from a printing plate being iny an at rest position below the platen. This device forming the main object of the invention will be described in detail later A gear 21 keyed to the shaft 22 is in mesh with a pinion 29 arranged on the main shaft 28 also supported by the side walls 2|. The main shaft-bears a pulley 29 driven by an electromotor 3I by means of a cone belt 30.

The platen 5 is driven by one of the shafts of the machine by means of a leverage not shown in the drawings. This drive, however, is not a feature of the invention and does not need to be described in detail. The drive of the platen is in such a relationship to the movement of feeding device of theY printing plates that the slide bar I I moves the printing plates one step during the downward movement of the platen. Care must be taken that the movement of the'printing plates is finished shortly before the impression from the printing plate is made by the platen. During the upward movement of the platen the slide bar II returns 'to its initial position.

As will be readilyY understood from Fig. 1, the shiftable slide bar 'II performs a reciprocating movement, causing the feeding of the printing plates, only if the lever I3 is turned clockwise in such a way that the recess I5 engages the pivot I6 of the slide block I1. In that event the slide bar I I Iadvances in the direction of the arrow 32Y and returns again if theY Ycrank 28 makes one complete revolution. When advancing each nose I2 drives the engaged printing plate inthe direction of the arrow 32. When the vslide bar II -returns the noses or pawlsv I2 4 are released from the printing plates, return idly and grip the next printing plates respectively. If more than one impression Vare to be made from a printing plate the connection between the slide bar Il and the slide block I1 is interrupted by bringing the lever I3 into the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the recess I5 is out of engagement with the pivot I6 of the slide block II. The slide block then reciprocates idly once if vthe crank 28 makes one revolution. As mentioned above, during each revolution of the crank 20 the platen 5 is reciprocated once, i. e. during each revolution of the crank 20 one impression is made from the printing plate.

The end 33 of the lever I3 opposite its end I4 is actuated by a double-armed lever 34 (Fig. 14) pivoted to the machine frame; the end 35 of said lever 34 is in engagement with the lower surface of the end 33 o f the lever I3. The said lever 34 is yprovided at its end 38 with a projection 31. 'I'he levers I3 and '34 are under the action of springs -I3a and 34a respectively. The projection 31 liesin the reach of holes 38 provided in'a controlling disc 39 Atobe described later on. I If'the projection 31 can come into engagement with one ofthe holes 38 under the action of the spring 34a then'the end 35 of the lever 34 is lowered so that it allows the lever I3 to be rotated by the spring I3a in clockwise direction whereby its recess I5 engages the pivot I6 of the-slideblock I1 (Fig. 15). If, however, the projection 31 cannot come into engagement with oneof the holes 38 but abuts -against the flat surface of the controlling disc 39 theY lever arm '35 israised. Thus the lever I3 is rotated in counter-clockwise ldirection into the position shown in Fig. v1 wherein the recess I5 is disengaged from 'the pivot'IG of the slide block I1 so that the slide bar II cannot participate in the movement ofthe slide block I1 and, consequently, the feeding of the plates is'interrupted. Y

The device for adjusting the number of impressionsto bemade from the same printing plate containing the controlling disc 39 is illustrated in Figs. 3-5 showing three different views. The controlling disc 39is fastened on a tubular member 40 rotatably supported by a plate 45 fixed on the lowerside of table by means of screws. On the end of the tube 4I) a crank`4l is loosely mounted, the outer end of which is connected by means of a ball joint 25a. with the connecting rod 25. The crank is provided with a driving `pawl 42vbeing under the action of a spring 42a. This pawl may engage teeth of a tooth formation provided on the circumference of the controlling disc 39, said tooth formation being composed of a plurality of big teeth 43 between which small teeth 44 of less depth but of the same circular pitch are arranged. According to the embodimentV shown in the drawings the controlling disc has four big teeth 43 staggered for relatively to each other. A hole 38 in the controlling disc 39 is coordinated to each'of' the big teeth.

The plate 45 is so shaped that it covers the small teeth 44 on the portion of Athe controlling disc ldesignated by the double arrow 46. The driving pawl 42 is providedv withA a shoulder 41 engaging the rim of the plate 45. The plate 45 is provided with a recess 48 (Fig. 4) opposite the position Il of the driving pawl 42 at the end of its stroke caused by the oscillating movement of the crank 4I. Said recess 48 4uncovers one bigvtooth and' the la'st'tooth of a Vseries of small teeth, so that the driving pawl may engage a tooth when it reaches its end position II.

plate. In this event the handle 53 is adjusted to the numeral 3 (Fig. 6). As shown in Fig. 11, now the disc 50 is in a position wherein its circularrim portion 51 covers the big tooth 16 and the' adjacent small tooth. Thus, the big tooth 16 is uncovered by the straight edge of the disc D and can be engaged by the driving pawl 42 only if the controlling disc 38 has executed two shifting steps by the small teeth 44 during two revolutions. As the recess 48 of. the plate 45 uncovers only one of the small teeth the driving pawl 42 rotates during one oscillation the controlling disc 39 for one small tooth thereby bringing the hole 33 out ofthe reach of the pivot 37 ofthe 1ever34. Fig. l1 shows the driving pawl 42 at the `moment wherein it engages the space between two small teeth. Then, the driving pawl 42 shifts during its further movement the controlling disc for one tooth so that said disc is rotated for one tooth'during one oscillation of the crank 4|. The controlling disc then comes into the position shown in Fig, V12. As holes 38 forgthe projection 3l arel only co-ordinated to thebig teeth, the lever 34 remains after the shifting of the controlling disc 39 by the small teeth in a position wherein the slide bar ll is disengaged from the slide blocky I7. During a second oscillation of the driving pawl 42 the controlling disc is again rotated for one tooth. Thereby -the big tooth 'I6 becomes uncovered from the covering portion 5l of the disc 50 so that during the third Aoscillation of the crank 4lV the driving pawl 42 engages the big tooth and moves the controlling disc into the position shown in Fig. 7. In that position the projection3ln1ay engage a hole 33 and may move the lever 34 into the position 4wherein the slide bar I l is coupled with the slide block Il. Therefore three impressions have been made before the printing plates are forwarded for one step. By turning the pointer or handle 53l the disc 50 may be adjusted at will to any of the six numerals corresponding to the desired number of impressions.

As the covering plate 6l (Fig. 6) is mounted on the same tube 4U as the controlling disc 39 the covering plate moves stepwise in the same manner as the controlling disc. The numerals B9. arranged in a distance from each other corresponding to one step and being legible through one of the windows 68 indicate in consequence thereof how many prints have been made already.

What I claim is:

-1. In a printing machine, the combination of: a reciprocable platen, a guiding track, a feeding mechanism for feeding successively printing plates along said guiding track into printing position below said platen, a driving shaft, driving means actuated by said driving shaft for reciprocating said platen and for actuating said feed- Y ing mechanism, disengageable coupling means in- .the exception of one small tooth located at -the end of the feeding pathof said driving pawl, a rotatable selector plate substantially in the shape of a segment of a circle, said'selector plate being manually settable in selective positions for permitting one or more impressions to be made from a printing plate being in printing position, said selector plate uncovering the lrst large tooth in the feeding path of the driving pawl when set for permitting a single impression to bemade, said selector plate covering said first large tooth and at least one adjacent small tooth in the feeding path of said driving pawl when set for permitting a predetermined number of impressions to be made, said selector plate covering all teeth in the feedingpath of said driving pawl whenset for permitting an unlimited number of impressions to be made, and control means actuated by said controlling disc and operatively Vengaged with said coupling means for disengaging the latter in response to predetermined position of said controlling disc.

2. In a printing machine asclaimed in claim l, said selector plate being in coaxial alignmentwith said controlling disc, and a handle connected with said selector plate for setting same by hand.

3. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, a tube carrying said controlling disc, a rod rotatably inserted into said tube, a supporting arm connected with one end of said rod, said supporting arm carrying said selector plate, a handle connected with the other end of said rod, and a scale, said handle being arranged in cooperative relationship to said scale.

4. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1said selector plate being axially displaceable, a spring operatively engaged with said selector plate, a locking pawl mounted on said stationary Y member for engagement with teeth of the controlling disc so as to prevent same from a return movement, an inclinedsurface on said selector plate, and means for axially displacing said selector plate against the actionof said spring, saidinclined surface engaging said locking pawl during an .axial displacementv of said selector plate whereby said locking pawl is brought out of the path of the small teeth but not out of the path of the large teeth.

5. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, said selector plate being `axially displaceable, a spring operatively engaged with said selector plate, a locking pawl mounted on said stationary member for engagement with teeth of the controlling disc so as to prevent same from a return movement, an inclined surface on said selector plate, means for axially displacing said` selector lplate against the action of said spring, said inclined surface engagingv said locking pawl during an axial displacement of said selector plate whereby said locking pawl is brought out of the path of the small teeth but not out of the path of the large teeth, a, pin being associated with each large tooth of the controlling disc, and a resilient arm mounted on said stationary member, saidresilient arm being arranged for engagement with one of said pins so vas to return said controlling disc upon an axial displacement of said selector plate into its initial position determined by an engagement of said locking pawl with a large tooth.

6. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, said control means comprising a double-armed lever, said controlling disc having a number of recesses equal to the number of large teethand arranged radially in relation to the latter, and a 9 projection arranged on one end of said doublearmed lever capable of engagement with one of said recesses, the other arm of said doublearmed lever being in operative engagement with Y said coupling means for disengaging same when said controlling disc is out of engagement with a recess of the controlling disc.

7. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, said control means comprising a double-armed lever, an extension arranged on said selector plate, and a projecting arm arranged at one end of said double-armed lever, the other arm of said double-armed lever being in operative engagement with said coupling means, said extension of the selector plate coming into abutting engagement with said projecting arm for swinging said double-armed lever so as to cause a disengagement of said coupling means by the other arm of said double-armed lever when the selector plate is set for permitting repeated impressions.

8. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, said control means comprising a double-armed lever, said controlling disc having a number of recesses equal to the number of large teeth and arranged radially in relation to the latter, a projecton arranged on one end of said doublearmed lever capable of engagement with one of said recesses, an extension arranged on said selector plate, and a projecting arm arranged at said one end of the double-armed lever, the other arm of said double-armed lever being in operative engagement with said coupling means, said other arm of the double-armed lever being swung into position for causing a disengagement of said coupling means when said controlling disc is in a position wherein said projection is out of engagement with a recess of the controlling disc, and said extension of the selector plate coming into abutting engagement with said projecting arm for swinging said double-armed lever so as to cause a disengagement of said coupling means by the other arm of said double-armed lever when the selector plate is set for permitting repeated impressions.

9. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1, a tube carrying said controlling disc, a cover plate mounted on the upper end of said tube, said cover plate being provided with at least one window, and a scale comprising a sequence of members arranged below said plate, the members of said scale becoming visible through said window upon rotation of said controlling disc so as to indicate the numbers of intermediate steps performed by said controlling disc.

ERICH OSTWALDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,696,759 Geiger Dec. 25, 1928 1,717,231 Krell June 11, 1929 1,960,948 Long May 29, 1934 1,982,374 Colyer Nov. 27, 1934 1,992,663 Gollwitzer Feb. 26, 1935 2,077,965 Smith Apr. 20, 1937 

